This is an egwugwu which would be played by one of the men in the tribe during a ceremony or ritual.
This a mask that an egwugwu would wear during a ceremony or ritual.
1. The oldest man of the oldest surviving generation had the role of settling family disputes.
2. Whoever was older basically had the higher status. 3. There was no single leader, but decisions were made by almost everyone in the community.
4. Since the oldest man had communication with the all-important ancestors, he commanded great respect and reverence.
5. The council of elders consisted of the oldest members of families.
6. Spirits ruled along the living men and sometimes revealing themselves through oracles, priests, and the egwugwu.
7. The egwugwu were a group of men initiated into the spiritual knowledge of the clan.
8. During festivals and ceremonies, men dressed as egwugwu became the spirits or ancestors of the clan, and people had to listen to the "spirits."
9. The egwugwu was also a council of elders to settle tribal disputes. 10. Wives were ranked according to the order in which they married the common husband.
11. Whoever was older basically had the higher status.
12. Igbo laws were not official and not written because there was a high honesty and integrity level.
13. The laws of the Igbo are not solid and codified so if one goes by the principle of a law they need evidence.
Tribal Government and Justice
David Lee
Chapter 10
Page 87-94
1. The oldest man of the oldest surviving generation had the role of settling family disputes.
2. Whoever was older basically had the higher status.
3. There was no single leader, but decisions were made by almost everyone in the community.
4. Since the oldest man had communication with the all-important ancestors, he commanded great respect and reverence.
5. The council of elders consisted of the oldest members of families.
6. Spirits ruled along the living men and sometimes revealing themselves through oracles, priests, and the egwugwu.
7. The egwugwu were a group of men initiated into the spiritual knowledge of the clan.
8. During festivals and ceremonies, men dressed as egwugwu became the spirits or ancestors of the clan, and people had to listen to the "spirits."
9. The egwugwu was also a council of elders to settle tribal disputes.
10. Wives were ranked according to the order in which they married the common husband.
11. Whoever was older basically had the higher status.
12. Igbo laws were not official and not written because there was a high honesty and integrity level.
13. The laws of the Igbo are not solid and codified so if one goes by the principle of a law they need evidence.
works cited
http://www.monge.net/thingsfallapart/Igbo%20Background.html
__http://books.google.com/books?id=1WrbFk264xEC&pg=PA119&lpg=PA119&dq=igbo+law+and+justice&source=bl&ots=6dRRWnly8E&sig=JXeLM3uzKssdEEGYa5G82_MTgdk&hl=en&ei=s4nxSu-ABdPZlAfonrC9Aw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CBAQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=&f=false__
__http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofEnglish/imperial/nigeria/govt.htm__
http://www.africaguide.com/culture/tribes/ibo.htm
AK